Mental Health Bill: Slow Down?

* As a person who has suffered from manic-depressive mental illness for over 30 years, I agree that changes in the involuntary treatment laws in California are long overdue (Commentary, July 13). From my own experience I can tell you that when I was having a manic episode, if anyone told me that I was “crazy” I would have told them that they were! I did wild things that made perfect sense to me. During that time my life was chaos, as were the lives of the people I loved most. Mental illness affects the thinking process, and many who are mentally ill don’t realize that there is anything wrong with them.

While state Sen. John Burton conducts another study, severely mentally ill people are daily being raped, beaten, robbed, suffering from malnutrition and hypothermia and often ending up as bodies in the dumpsters they eat out of.

Families, friends and mental health professionals are frustrated in helping these people by antiquated laws. I believe we as a society have an obligation to help those who are unable to help themselves. Assemblywoman Helen Thomson’s (D-Davis) bill is one way that we can do this.

KATHERINE G. MINSK

Los Angeles

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In “Why Sit By When We Can Help?” (Commentary, July 13) Sen. Burton is described as throwing “the democratic process to the wind.” On the contrary, Burton has upheld one of democracy’s highest values, to defend people from discrimination. His action to halt AB 1800 should be seen as stopping mob hysteria.

The proponents of increasing the forced treatment of people with mental disabilities urged their followers to “take the debate out of the mental health arena and put it in the criminal justice/public safety arena.” They have purposely conducted a hate campaign against mental patents that encourages public stereotypes of people with mental disabilities as violent, exploits public fears of crime and promotes forced treatment as a public safety issue.

This is not a rational climate in which to make decisions. It needed to be slowed down to have time for accurate fact-finding, study and thoughtful consideration. Somebody had to put the brakes on the mob hysteria. Burton has.

SALLY ZINMAN, Exec. Dir.

California Network of Mental

Health Clients, Sacramento